Ilavarasan death: TN govt constitutes inquiry commission

Chennai, July 8 (): The Tamil Nadu government today has ordered to constitute a commission of inquiry under former High Court Judge S R Singaravelu to explore the cause of death of Dalit youth Ilavarasan in Dharmapuri district.

Ilavarasan’s love marriage to an upper caste girl Diya from the same district sparked off casteist violence in the district and ended in his tragic death on July 4 when his body was found near the railway track behind Dharmapuri Arts College with a head injury.

Various doubts and viewpoints had surfaced amidst media circles, social activists, political leaders about the cause of his death; the boy’s father had expressed doubts over his death calling Ilavarasan ‘not-a-weak lad’.

Some of the political parties of Tamil Nadu had expressed shock over his death and demanded investigation into the sensitive issue. Taking all this into cognisance, Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa had ordered to constitute a one-man commission of inquiry which she thinks would ascertain the truth behind Ilavarsan’s death.

Meantime, escorted by policemen, Ilavarsan’s wife Divya has returned back to her native village,Sellankottai on Friday. Ilavarasan’s father, T. Elango, told reporters at the Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital campus that he still considered Divya as his own daughter and said his family was ready to take care of her. Elango also added that he was ready to get her married again at his own expense,if she wished so. He had also requested Divya to attend his son’s funeral.

According to fresh reports from The Hindu, the cops have seized a ‘four-page suicide note’ written by Ilavarasan in Tamil from one of his relatives. It is alleged that Ilavarasan had stated that no one else was responsible for his death and has termed the decision as his own. The letter would be sent for forensic test,according to police sources.

On the investigation front, the engine drivers of Kurla Express had been interrogated by the Investigation Officer D. Sampath, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Harur and the inquiry proceedings were kept confidential.